


Solstice

by justanotherbusyfangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Fluff, Titanic AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2019-09-07 06:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16848961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherbusyfangirl/pseuds/justanotherbusyfangirl
Summary: The reader is on a cruise to Alaska - her graduation present from college - when she finds out that she is to marry someone of her parent’s choosing.  Can a stranger on the ship help her find happiness and escape her family’s expectations?





	1. Chapter 1

You grabbed your large Coach bag, hoisting it onto your shoulder.  Handing the attendant your ID and ticket, he nodded at you before you followed your mother up the gangway.  You eyed the boat with half-interest, knowing that it was going to be a great adventure, but also knowing you’d be stuck with your mother, your not-boyfriend, and  _his_  mother during the trip, which you were  _not_  excited about.

You thought back on your life as you followed your mother onto the boat.  You were brought up in a proper family, as your father was not only a very successful plastic surgeon but also had inherited his family’s large estate, being the only heir.  

Your childhood was full of cotillions and cocktail parties, debutante balls and formal gatherings. The only friends you were allowed to have were those of your parents’ choosing, which mainly consisted of their rich friends’ children.  (Although sometimes you snuck out of the house to play soccer in the back gardens with the children of the servants at your house, but your parents could never know that.)  

You went to a highly competitive private school from kindergarten until you graduated high school, and then had attended Harvard, where you had at least been able to study what you wanted: anthropology.  Your schooling was your only reprieve: while you were very smart and probably could have gotten to Harvard on your own, you never had to worry about getting a great education, as your father would have paid for you to attend anywhere you wanted.

While at Harvard, you were able to broaden your social life a bit, seeing as your parents weren’t watching your every move anymore.  You hardly ever wore the clothes they deemed appropriate (which was mainly polo shirts and high-neck dresses), instead dressing casually in jeans and t-shirts.

The only bad thing was that Calden Hockley, one of the sons of your parents’ friends, was at Harvard as well, and he had put the idea in his mind that the two of you were meant to be. Maybe it was actually his parents who had put the thought into his head, you weren’t sure, but the two of you were placed together so much that eventually you gave in every once and a while. You let Cal take you to dinner, to parties, be your escort at your family’s Christmas party.  The high society began seeing the two of you as a couple, and even though your heart wasn’t truly in it, you had to admit that he treated you fairly well.

By the time you were an upperclassman living off campus, getting tipsy at parties, you even slept with him a few times, or maybe more.  But still, your heart wasn’t in it at all.  Cal was the embodiment of the high society you wanted so badly to escape from, and you couldn’t let yourself love him.

Luckily, your senior year as an anthropology major had taken you traveling around the world, and you hadn’t seen much of Cal or your family since you left for your final year back in August.  You had just had the greatest year of your life, exploring, learning about cultures by  _being_  there and  _living_ their lives – it was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life.

Your graduation present from your parents was a cruise to Alaska, a half-interesting adventure for both you and your mother.  She would enjoy being on the luxurious boat, while you would enjoy stopping in all of the port towns, exploring the peoples and cultures along the coast of Alaska.

It wasn’t until you got to the port that you realized Cal and his mother would be joining you on the cruise.  You had scolded yourself mentally – of course there was an ulterior motive for the journey, but you could keep that to yourself.  You were determined to enjoy yourself, obnoxious not-boyfriend and all.

You accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter when your mother stopped in the grand lobby of the ship, your eyes admiring the interior of the boat.  It was beautiful, with large chandeliers and beautiful woodworking, the staircase in front of you as grand as if it were in your own estate home.

You were taking a sip of the bubbly drink when a hand on your back startled you, causing you to choke a bit.  You turned.

“Cal!” you reprimanded. “Don’t sneak up on a girl like that!” Cal grinned at you sideways, drinking almost all of his champagne in one gulp.

“Sorry, doll.  Didn’t mean to startle you.”

Your mothers stood to one side, watching the exchange closely.  You didn’t give them anything to work with however, turning away from Cal to continue admiring the ship.  Luckily you didn’t have to avert your attention long, as your bags were brought up at that moment by a couple of bellhops.

“Care to follow us, ladies, sir?” one of the men asked, a pleasant smile on his face.  You obediently followed your mothers as the bellhops led you onto a large elevator and to your floor.  

They let Mrs. Hockley into her estate room first, the four of you gushing about the lavishness of the room.  She tipped the bellhops for their help, making sure that they knew to keep her room stocked with liquor, a request they were sure to accommodate if she kept tipping them like she just did.

Next was your mother’s room, just a few doors down and equally as lavish as Mrs. Hockley’s.  The same gushing occurred, and the same tipping of the bellhops.

Your mother stood at her door to watch the processional of you, Cal, and the bellhops continue, until the bellhops stopped at the double doors at the end of the hallway.  They opened the room to show a large suite, beautifully decorated and fully furnished with a sitting area and fireplace, separate bedroom, and luxurious bathroom.

“Nice room, Cal,” you joked, laughing at the ridiculousness of this extravagance on a cruise ship.

“Your room too,” you heard your mother respond down the hallway, and you went back to the door to address her.

“What?” you asked, shocked.

She merely shrugged. “We thought you and Calden might want the privacy, so we got the largest suite on the boat for the two of you to share. Happy graduation, sweetheart.”

She closed the door behind her after her speech, leaving you standing there, gaping.  The bellhops were busy unloading your luggage behind you, Cal guiding them where to put things.  You were vaguely aware of him tipping them, and only moved when they excused themselves with the baggage carts.

“Wait,” you said to one of the boys.  You grabbed a hundred dollar bill from your wallet quickly.  “Can you bring things up to our room periodically throughout the whole trip – fruit, snacks, soft drinks, anything – just every couple hours or so?”  The bellhop looked at you confused, wanting more instructions than that.  “There will be more Franklins where that came from.  Please?” you pleaded, giving him a look that hopefully conveyed something along the lines of ‘ _I don’t want to be here alone all trip with him_.’

It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Cal, or didn’t like being around him, but to share a beautiful room together on this ship, given to you by your  _parents_ … Something was up, and it was something that you most certainly did  _not_  like.

The bellhop seemed to get your message, as he took the money and nodded.  “Yes, ma’am.  We can stop by every hour or so, bring you anything you need.”

“Thank you,” you half-whispered, before closing the door behind you and turning toward Cal.

He had already made his way onto the balcony of your rooms, sipping another glass of champagne.  You had to admit, it was a very pretty picture.  Cal was an attractive guy, and the room was beautiful, and your rooms overlooked the back of the ship… But something was fishy about this situation, and your guards were up.

You turned away from Cal to unpack your things, disappearing into the bedroom to be by yourself.


	2. Chapter 2

Luckily, Cal had fallen asleep on the deck by the time that you were done unpacking half an hour later, so you decided to go exploring on the boat by yourself.  You snuck out of the room, heading back to the large staircase you were admiring as you got on the boat.  

You knew that you would be embarking soon, so you wanted to find a nice place to sit and watch the shoreline fall away.  You turned to an attendant.

“Excuse me, can you tell me the best place to watch the embarking?” you asked him, smiling. “Maybe somewhere that the  _whole_  boat won’t be standing, the place  _you_  would like to go if you weren’t working?”

The attendant, a young man probably around your age, looked at you with his head cocked.  “I’m sure you would be just fine on the top deck, as there is a nice view and appetizers there for guests,” he answered as if rehearsed, giving you a winning smile.  You didn’t want to go where everyone else was.

You grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the staircase.  “I’m kind of trying to get  _away_  from the guests we’ve got around here…” you started, hoping he would give up a more private place.  “Is there anywhere else that would be nice, preferably filled with  _normal_  people and  _normal_  conversation?”

Once more, the attendant looked you over, but decided to give in.  “If you go to floor eight, there is a small deck forward that you can watch from.  There may be some employees and their friends there, but guests are welcome there as well.”

You squeezed the attendant’s arm in thanks, giving him a smile.  He nodded back to you and gestured toward the elevator, which you rode to the eighth floor.  You got out, noticing that this area of the ship was much calmer than where you’d been moments before, and you were grateful.  

Making your way down the halls, you found the deck the attendant had spoken of and saw that there were only a handful of people there, all of which were about your age, talking and laughing with each other.  You guessed that most of them worked on the ship, and instantly felt calmer in the less-formal atmosphere.

You found yourself a lounge chair toward the edge of the deck, settling yourself on it so that you would be comfortable to watch the embarking.  You pulled your phone out, half-paying attention as you scrolled through social media, but really people-watching the others on the deck.  

There was a group in the corner who were playing Cards Against Humanity, laughing every couple minutes at the cards.  Maybe you’d be able to befriend some of them during the trip and would end up laughing along.

Some couples were sitting together on chairs and settees, and you eyed them jealously.  The couples just reminded you of the situation you were in: awkwardly sharing a room with Calden while your mothers were in their own rooms right down the hall.  You briefly wished that you wanted to be with Cal, because that would surely make the whole situation better.  

There were some other loners standing or sitting around the deck as well, and your eyes raked over them all, before turning back to look at the shore.  You saw that the two gangways had been pulled in, and just then a voice spoke over the loudspeaker.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the man’s voice said, “We will be embarking shortly.  Please make your way to the decks if you wish to watch, and we hope you enjoy your stay on the Celebrity Solstice.”

Your phone buzzed – a text from your mother.   _Where are you?  Meet us on the top deck, they have champagne and caviar for us there._

You rolled your eyes at the words, putting your phone away without responding.  You would be doing everything in your power to stay away from your mother and Cal while on the boat, that was for damn sure.  You wanted to be with normal people.

Once you had gotten comfortable again after putting your phone in your back pocket, you were surprised by a body sitting at your feet on the lounge chair.

The messy, dark-blonde head turned to you, and you were struck by the bright green of the man’s eyes as he smiled at you.  “Mind if I sit here to watch the embarking?” he asked with a wink.  “The other chairs are all gone, and that eye roll you just gave your phone tells me that you’d like a distraction.”

You sat up, scoffing at the man’s upfront attitude.  You weren’t used to people being so forward, but found yourself enjoying it.  “Well, sir,” you said sarcastically.  “What makes you think that you’d be a good distraction?”

The man laughed, a full-belly sound that sent a tingle up your spine.  He leaned toward you.  “I’m  _always_  a good distraction,” he said plainly, grinning happily.  Your eyebrows raised at his declaration, amused by his forwardness.  “The name’s Dean,” he held his hand out in introduction, and you took it.

“Well, Dean, keep entertaining me and I suppose I’ll allow you to sit,” you responded.  “I’m Y/N.”  Dean’s free hand covered the other side of yours, so that he was holding one of your hands in both of his.  

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Y/N,” he said a bit softer, holding your hand a moment too long before he let it go.  You settled back against the lounge chair, crossing your legs in front of you so that Dean had enough room to sit.  

For a moment the two of you were silent, merely looking out at the landscape as the final preparations were made for embarking.  It was a comfortable silence, not awkward or forced.

Seeing that nothing was happening yet, Dean turned back to you.  “So I can’t imagine that a beautiful girl like you would be on this ship all by yourself, yet here you are, alone.  Want to share your story?”

You looked at Dean for a moment, debating whether you wanted to share your drama with this stranger. Deciding to play a little, you replied, “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.  Can’t imagine someone like you would be alone, either.”

Dean nodded, as if he expected that to be your answer.  “I actually am a loner this time around,” he began, leaning back on his hands as he spoke. “I’m sort-of on a job, and usually travel with co-workers, but this gig was a little pricier than what they usually want to spend, so I’m all by myself…”  Dean ended his speech by singing ‘all by myself’ to the Eric Carmen melody.  You laughed at his declaration, and he seemed pleased that you were amused.  

When the laughter had died down, Dean looked at you expectantly.  You cleared your throat, thinking of how to tell him your situation without seeming like a whiny brat.  “Well, I’m on this trip as a graduation present-“

Dean interrupted. “Congrats!  Where did you graduate from?”

You smiled, replying, “Harvard,” as humbly as possible.  Dean’s shocked and impressed expression made your cheeks heat up, so you continued before he could dig deeper.  “So I’m here with my mom, and my, um…” you trailed off, trying to think of a polite and not-boyfriend way of explaining Cal.  “My mom, a friend, and his mom,” you settled with, hoping that Dean wouldn’t harp on it.

He did.

“ _His_  mom?” Dean asked, teasing.  “ _Friend_ , eh?”

You gave him the most polite glare you could muster, letting him know that you didn’t want to talk about it. “Yes,  _friend_.”

Your eyes went back to the shoreline, and it was then that you felt the boat begin to move.  The conversation between you and Dean ceased, both of your eyes turning to watch the land move farther away.  The silence wasn’t quite as comfortable as it had been before, but it could be worse.

Besides, it’s not like you’d see Dean on this ship again – there were probably a thousand people aboard and you were sure your paths wouldn’t cross a second time.


	3. Chapter 3

Your mother had texted you another eight times as you sat silently with Dean watching the land disappear – until the ship was far enough off shore for your cell phone to lose service. You finally decided to head back to your room to change for dinner, as you had a formal meal scheduled in the dining room that evening.  With a short and simple goodbye to Dean, you left the peaceful eighth-floor deck.

Luckily, Calden wasn’t in your room when you arrived, so you were able to slip on your dress and heels and refresh your make-up without any distraction.  You made your way to the dining room by 6:55, knowing that your table was set for 7.

The hostess led you to the semi-private dining area and you saw your mother, Cal, and his mom sitting at a table at the front of the room.  Next to your table was an enormous window overlooking the ocean; it was a beautiful view.  

As you approached the table, Cal stood to scoot your chair out for you, and you thanked him as you had been trained, your mothers looking on approvingly.

When you had settled in your chair and placed your napkin in your lap, your mother leaned toward you.

“I have been texting you since we boarded,” she hissed in your ear, obviously not happy with you. “We waited for you on the deck to watch the embarking, and you blowing us off was an embarrassment.”

She smiled as she leaned away from you, trying to cover up the fact that she was furious and you were in trouble.  You smiled back at her sweetly, saying a simple, “Sorry, mother.”

The waiters (because, apparently the four of you needed multiple waiters for your meal) took that moment to approach your table and describe the evening’s options, which you only halfway listened to.  You knew that your mother would order for you, so why even bother paying attention?

You were sipping on your wine when you realized that it was actually Cal who ordered for you, and he ordered you fish.  You didn’t even like fish, but you didn’t have the energy to argue or call the waiter back to fix your order.  You figured you’d be spending as much time as possible out of your room that night, so you’d go to one of the other restaurants on the ship to have a snack.

Your appetizers, salad, and meal came and went, the table’s conversation being carried mostly by your mother.  You were able to get by with just a few nods, yes’s, and simple answers as you barely paid attention and only picked at your food.  Much of the talk was about Calden and what he was planning on doing now that he’d graduated (and surprise, surprise – he’d be working for his father’s company, starting in a higher-than-normal entry level so that he could work his way up the ladder quickly).

Before dessert was brought to the table (cheesecake – your  _favorite_ ) your mother stood, raising her glass.  You rolled your eyes at her formality, but raised yours as well, knowing that she would be cheers-ing to your graduation, your future, whatever-the-heck-else she could think of.

“Well, our first evening on this trip together is coming to a close, but it is the beginning of a brand new experience,” she began, smiling at the three of you.  You noticed that some of the other tables around you were eavesdropping on the toast, and you wished you could get away with rolling your eyes again.  “Not only is this the beginning of our beautiful and exciting cruise, but it is the beginning of a new chapter of Y/N’s life.  She is the pride and joy of my life, and I am so very excited for what is to come.”  You were pleasantly surprised with the positive way your mother was speaking, hoping that she would continue with the niceties.  “And Calden, my husband and I are equally as proud of you and your endeavors that you are about to pursue.  You have grown up to be a quite wonderful young man, and it has been a pleasure to watch you all these years.”

You looked at Cal briefly, seeing the smug grin on his face.  He looked like he had a secret and was about to burst, but you weren’t curious enough to ask what he was thinking.

“It is after saying all of that, that I am happy to announce…” your mother paused, looking directly into your eyes.  “Your father and I have talked with Mr. and Mrs. Hockley, and we are happy to tell you that you will be marrying Calden on New Year’s Eve this year, at the One World Observatory in New York City.”

You froze, unable to even comprehend anything after ‘you will be marrying Calden.’  You sat there as your mom clinked glasses with Cal, his mother, and turned to you.  She touched her glass to yours, smiling at you before she took a sip and then sat down.

Cal grabbed your free hand, squeezing it in what you were sure was supposed to be happiness, and then you felt him slipping something on your finger.  Your eyes went to your hand, and you saw an enormous diamond ring on your ring finger.  It was beautiful and fit perfectly, but it was huge and gaudy and nothing like what you would ever choose to wear.

Finally snapping out of your daze, you put your glass down on the table without drinking to the toast. Not knowing what to say to your tablemates, you quietly murmered, “Excuse me,” before pushing your chair out and getting up.  As you walked toward the exit, a few of the eavesdropping guests around you gave their best wishes to you in passing, and you could do nothing but purse your lips at them.

As you got to the door, you felt a hand on your arm.  You turned to see Cal, his smug grin still on his face.  Over his shoulder you saw your mothers watching your exchange.

“Aren’t you excited, babe?” Cal asked, his hand still on your arm.

You crooked your head at him, trying to figure out if he was being serious about all of this. “Excited?” you repeated.  “Were you even going to talk to me about this?”

Cal put his other hand on your other arm, seemingly in support.  “Nah, our parents did all of the paperwork.  They just told me last week, so I’d have time to get your ring and all.  It’s great, right?”

You squinted your eyes at him, unbelieving that he was pleased with this set-up.  Then again, Cal always did love that the two of you were put together so much, and he was always much more enthusiastic about the time you spent together, but you figured that he was just enjoying the sex.

“Great.  Not the word I was looking for,” you deadpanned, before pulling away from him.  You quickly made your way out of the dining room, passing a platter of cheesecake as you left.  If only the toast had waited until  _after_  you had eaten your favorite dessert, maybe you would be happier about it?

No.  There was no way you could marry Cal – how could your parents do this to you?  An arranged marriage, it was so old-school.  

The more you walked, the angrier you became.  Once you left the dining room, you ran to the elevators, slamming the button to call a car. Your foot tapped impatiently as you waited, and when the doors opened you threw yourself into the small space. Not knowing where else to go, you hit 8 and your feet took you to the porch where you had sat only a few hours before, pleased to find that it was deserted.  

You stood at the edge of the deck, leaning over the railing.  The anger inside was quickly moving to sadness and frustration, and tears were beginning to escape your eyes.  The wind from the sea mussed your hair, so you took the pins out and threw them to the floor.  In very unlady-like fashion, you wiped your face with the back of your hands before leaning over to bury your face on your arms, hands grasping the railing.

You stood there sobbing for a few minutes, your mind in shock and unable to comprehend the fact that you were – what, betrothed? – to marry Cal.  It’s the twenty-first century, dammit,  _not okay_!

A hand on your upper back startled you, and you jumped away from the touch, hands moving up to defend yourself from whomever had snuck up on you.

“Dean?” you asked, wiping your eyes again as you sniffed.  He stood there, hands up in the universal ‘not-a-threat’ pose.  He wasn’t smiling like you had enjoyed looking at earlier, but was eyeing you with worry.

“Sorry to interrupt, Y/N,” he started, lowering his hands.  “I was sitting in the corner over there and watched you run out.  You okay?”

Your shoulders slumped, and you weren’t sure if you were disappointed or pleased that someone ( _Dean_ ) had seen your breakdown.  Deciding that you’d much rather Dean, a complete stranger, be the one to see it, you sighed.  “Obviously not,” you answered, as you went back to lean against the railing, this time keeping your body mostly upright.

Dean was quiet, but moved to lean against the railing next to you.  “I usually don’t like talking when I’m upset, but I’m here if you need me,” he offered, before he looked out on the water.

You nodded, letting the sea breeze float over the two of you as you stared out into the deep blue nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

_(image from huffpost)_

You don’t know why, but after standing with Dean on the deck, his presence a silent support system for you, you decided to tell him what was going on.  You let out a long sigh, turning away from the ocean in front of you and moving to the lounge chair you had been sharing earlier in the day.

Dean followed, sensing that you were either ready to talk or wanting to continue the silent company, not that you were trying to run away from him.  You sat, legs criss-crossed on the chair, and Dean sat facing you, straddling the seat.  You gave him a quick smile, before holding up your left hand, ring flashing.

“So, I’m engaged,” you started, the flat tone of the announcement showing how excited you weren’t.

Dean seemed to notice your tone of voice, and responded with a, “Congratulations?”

You let out an unhappy laugh, looking down at the rock on your finger.  “Yeah, not so much.  I was told at dinner that I would be marrying Cal this New Year’s Eve.”  You twirled the ring, fairly disgusted at the amount of light that was reflected from the gaudy diamond.

Dean put his hand over yours, stopping the movement of your fingers and making your eyes meet his. “I’m sorry, you were  _told_?” he clarified, shock evident in his voice.

You nodded, a flat smile on your lips.  “Yep,” you answered, popping the ‘p.’  “My mother stood up to toast, it was nice at first.  Talking about how the trip was a celebration of my graduation, then how she and my dad were proud to have watched me and Cal grow up, and  _then_  said how happy she was that we would be married later this year.”  You looked back at the ring.  “No proposal, just an announcement.”

Dean whistled, leaning away from you.  “Wow.”

The two of you sat quietly for a minute, mulling over your thoughts.  

Dean broke the silence. “So, do you love him?”

You met his eyes, shocked at the question.  “Pardon me?”

“Do you love him?” Dean repeated, looking closely at you.

You leaned away from him, tucking your hair behind your ears.  “You’re being very rude.  You shouldn’t be asking me this.”

Dean huffed a laugh, obviously surprised at your avoidance.  “Well, it’s a simple question, do you love the guy or not?”

You stood, taking a few steps away from the chair where Dean sat.  His question had startled you, but what was even more shocking was that you truly didn’t have an automatic answer.  If you loved Cal, you would know, right?  After all that the two of you had been through together: growing up together, being paired together for many events, having sex on and off through college… Did you actually have any true feelings for him, or was it all for show? Would your parents be forcing you into a loveless marriage?

You turned back to Dean. “No, I don’t.”

At the admission, you broke down once more.  Your body sagged, and you fell to your knees on the deck.  You couldn’t hold back the sobs as your hands covered your face, but you didn’t have to worry long.  Quickly, you were wrapped in a warm embrace, Dean holding you against his chest and letting you cry.

You don’t know how long you sat there, but eventually the tears stopped.  Dean moved the two of you back to the lounge chair and he began drying your tears with his sleeve.  

“Well, I don’t know about what you want,” Dean soothed, “but I told you earlier that I am  _always_  a good distraction.  Care for me to continue that tradition this evening?”

You met his eyes with a grateful look.  “Please.”

Dean stood, offering you his hand.  You took it, and once he had a hold of you, he pulled you up and behind him, winding his way through the halls of the ship.  You came to a different elevator bank than the one you had been using, and he pulled you into an elevator, going up.

Dean hit the button for the top deck and smiled, not letting go of your hand.  “Where are we going?” you asked, curious.

Dean smiled and shook his head, keeping his secret.  You sighed, frustrated but excited at the same time.  

Finally the doors opened, and you were struck with a strong breeze on the top deck.  You hadn’t explored up here yet, but the two of you passed by a large pool and some hot tubs, spashed with a few guests who were still out and about for the night.  You saw a large clock on the wall – it was past midnight.  You hadn’t realized how long you were crying on the deck with Dean.

Speaking of, Dean was pulling you up another staircase to a higher deck, winding around the side of the ship.  He came to an unmarked door, knocking a quick pattern before he waited, bouncing on his heels.

Before you could ask what was behind the door, a man answered.  “Dean!” he exclaimed, pulling him into a one-armed hug.  

“Hey, Cas,” Dean responded, nudging his arm against you.  “This is Y/N.  We needed a pick me up, thought you could help us make something?”

Cas smiled, nodding his head toward you in introduction, before swinging the door open.  “It’s your lucky night, as I haven’t turned the heat off yet,” Cas said as he made his way deeper into the room, moving to fiddle with some things on a table.  You noticed how warm it was, before you looked around and realized that you were surrounded by glass and furnaces.

“Perfect,” Dean said, before pulling you close to him and speaking to you.  “Cas is one of the glass blowers for the show on the ship, and we’ve known each other for a while.  He sorta teaches me in secret, but maybe tonight you’d like to try to make something?”

Your eyebrows raised in shock.  “Glass blowing?”

Cas turned from what he was doing, holding a dolphin figurine in his hand.  “This is one I finished yesterday, you like?”

You took the figure from him, letting go of Dean’s hand.  “It’s beautiful,” you gushed, your fingers flitting against the surface of the glass.

“Thanks, doll,” Cas said as he took the figure back.  “Don’t think we can make one of those in one night, but we can probably make a nice vase?”

You nodded, eager to participate (if only a little bit) in making a beautiful glass object, no matter the type.  When else would you ever have the chance to blow glass?

Dean stood to one side, leaning against a table as he watched you and Cas interact.  Cas had you pick a few colors, explaining the different patterns you could create even on a simple vase.  In the end, you chose a couple different blue shades, and he helped you line the strips up on a table, ready for when you had the body of the vase heated.

Dean pulled a heavy cloth jacket over you, making sure that you were protected from the elements you were going to be using.  You smiled at him in thanks, before he returned to his station to the side.

You followed Cas’s instructions, eagerly learning but also nervous that you’d break something. Luckily, Cas felt your nervousness and assured you that heated glass wouldn’t break, it would just burn if it touched you.

Finally you were holding and spinning glass in the furnace, heating the blob up so that you could manipulate it.  Cas was behind you, helping you spin the rod so the glass wouldn’t drip into the fire. Once you got the hang of it, he stepped away, making sure the other materials were ready.  

In Cas’s absence, Dean took his place behind you, arms reaching around you to help you spin the glass. You felt your heart quicken, but you weren’t sure if it was the excitement of the glass blowing or Dean’s body behind yours that made you excited.  You could feel his breath on your neck, and it made you shiver, even though the room was quite warm.  He let out a small laugh, and you knew that he noticed your reaction.

Dean stepped away when Cas was ready, helping you remove the glass, blow it hollow, and set the colored lines into the sides.  The vase went into the furnace and came out more times than you could keep track of, and slowly you could see it forming.  

Cas guided your hands as you used wet wood to form the vase, Dean spinning the glass for you.  When it was finally finished, Cas cut the vase off the rod and set it to cool.

You hadn’t realized that you had been smiling the whole time until you stepped away and found your cheeks to be sore, which just made you laugh even more.  

You missed the “Thank You” that Dean mouthed to Cas, and Cas’s responding look that questioned what was going on.  Dean just shook his head at his friend, guiding you out of the hot room after promises to visit again, especially to see your finished vase once it had cooled.

Dean held your hand again as he led you back to your deck (because by now, that’s what it was in your mind) and sat you on the lounge chair once more.  You leaned against him, your exhaustion finally hitting you after the long day and night that you had endured.

The last thing you remembered was leaning on Dean’s shoulder, muttering a heartfelt, “Thank you,” into his chest before falling asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

A light breeze across your face was what woke you, blowing away the cobwebs of sleepiness that was huddled in your mind.  You didn’t open your eyes, but tilted your head toward the flow of air, enjoying the feeling of it.  It was peaceful, warm.

So was the rest of your body – peaceful, warm – comfortable, but constricted.

Because you were snuggled up against Dean.

Your eyes shot open, body sitting upright as best you could, based on the fact that your legs were tangled with Dean’s – a practical stranger.  Your sudden movement startled Dean into the land of the waking as well, as he grunted.

“Whassat?” he said gruffly, hands shooting out to balance himself, now that the two of you weren’t leaning toward each other.  His eyes met yours, and you saw the realization come to his face.

Your brow was furrowed as you tried to decide what to do.  How does an engaged woman explain that she slept on a deck with a stranger on the first night of her cruise, when she was traveling with her  _fiancé_?

The thought of your fiancé – of Cal – had you shuddering.

Dean’s hand reached out to give your shoulder a comforting squeeze.  “Mornin, sweetheart,” he said before gathering his limbs and standing up, stretching a few steps in front of you.

You couldn’t help the fact that your eyes were drawn to the couple inches of belly and lower back that were revealed as he reached his arms above his head, but you looked away as quickly as you could, cheeks heating.

“Good morning, Dean,” you replied, as you stood and walked a few steps to the door.  “I’ll be going now.”

Your back was turned, so you didn’t see how quickly Dean caught up with you, hand resting gently on your arm as he half-way blocked your path.  “That it?  That’s all you’re saying?” he asked you, and you could tell he was hurt by your passiveness.

Your hand covered his for a moment as you couldn’t meet his eyes.  “Thank you for last night, Dean.  It was more than I could ask of a complete stranger to be such a great distraction.”

With that, you brushed past him, heading for what could only be your doom.  You had stayed out all night long, and you were sure that your mother and Calden had been looking for you.

Silently, you made your way to your room, entering it as quietly as possible.  Maybe Cal was sleeping, or maybe he wasn’t in the room?

Your hopes were dashed when Cal stood from a chair in your living room the instant you stepped foot in your rooms.

“Where have you been?!” he yelled, not the last thing that the entire hallway heard from him clearly that morning, even once you had closed the door.

* * *

Later in the day, you had been yelled at, reprimanded, and squashed down to size by Calden and your mother, especially when you wouldn’t explain where you were all night other than a simple, “I needed time to myself.”  Both of them seemed to know that you hadn’t, in fact, been alone, but neither of them had any proof of the fact.

The day was an entire day at sea, which meant that not only were you truly stuck on the boat with the two of them, but you began to feel queasy as well.  

The bellhops who had brought your bags to your room the day before stopped by your room a few times, bringing different snacks and drinks for you, and you may have noticed that they came more frequently the louder your mother or Calden were talking.  You were able to slip them some large tips a couple times, and their eyes looked at you with sympathy.

You didn’t make it out of your room again until dinner, as the four of you were expected in the dining room once more.  It wasn’t as formal of a dinner, but you were still told to dress up, as you would be surely showing off your engagement ring to everyone in the private room, who had all asked after you when you disappeared last night.

You played your part, expressionless and modest, holding your hand out when prompted and doing your best to think of anything but bright green eyes and a warm body holding you.

* * *

You were walking out of the dining room at around ten after a long meal, hand tucked in Calden’s arm, when you saw Dean.  He was seated at the bar on the edge of the dining room, and you could have sworn he was stationed in a place that let him see every guest who walked by – was he looking for you?

The two of you made eye contact and you gave him the smallest of smiles, which he returned before his eyes moved to the man next to you and his eyes hardened.  You frowned, not wanting to see such a look on the beautiful face.

Luckily (or unluckily?) Calden wanted to grab a drink on his way out of the dining room, so he steered you until the two of you were standing right next to Dean’s barstool. Cal let go of your arm before his full attention was on the bartender, giving him very specific instructions on the age and dryness of his drink.

While Cal was occupied, you shyly looked at Dean out of the side of your eye.  He seemed busy with something, writing in a small notebook. You tried to see what he was writing, but couldn’t make it out at the angle you were at, and didn’t want to bring Cal’s attention to Dean in any way.

You turned away from Dean, assuming that he was following your unspoken wishes and becoming strangers once more.  The thought brought an unpleasant feeling to your chest, but it was for the best. You’d never see Dean again after this trip, so why grow attached?

It was when Cal was taking his drink from the bartender that you felt a piece of paper slipped into your hand, and you instinctively closed your fingers around it.  Just in time, Cal turned back to you, offering you his arm, which you dutifully took.

You spared a glance back at Dean when you were walking to the door, and the man sent you a dashing wink.

So what if you were smiling as you walked back to your room for the first time that day?

* * *

Your mothers soon retired to their rooms, leaving you and Cal to yourselves for the night.  You went to the deck of your rooms, away from Cal, as quickly as you could to read the note still crumpled in your hand.

_Deck. Midnight. Please._

Three simple words, that was all it took to make your heart fly.  Wait, what?  All it meant was that Dean wanted to see you again, why would that be so wonderful?

Well, of course it was wonderful, who were you fooling.  You had been thinking of the man all day, and would do anything to get away from Calden and to Dean.  Now you just had to figure out how to get away…

You heard the horrible sound of retching inside of your rooms.  Tucking the note in your pocket, you headed in, calling out to Calden as you walked.    
“Cal?” you spoke, timid.  “You alright?”

You heard the sound again from the bathroom.  You made your way to the door.  “Calden, are you okay?”

You heard the flush of the toilet before he responded.  “What do you think, am I okay?  I’m puking in our toilet, for Christ’s sake.”

You should have felt badly, but found yourself uncaring.  “I will call for some ginger ale and crackers,” you replied, before moving in the room.  You looked at the clock on the wall: 11:42.  You had 18 minutes to settle Cal, or whatever, before you were to meet Dean.

You quickly picked up your room phone, calling for a waiter to bring you things to help settle Cal’s stomach.  He said they’d be there as soon as they could, as many guests were feeling ill, but you reminded him which room you were staying in and he told you they’d be there in 15 minutes.

At least there were some good things in being first-class.

You sat in the living room, half-listening to Calden in the bathroom and half wanting to just leave right then, but you knew you couldn’t do that.  Finally the waiter brought supplies, and you brought them in to Cal. He was pale and sweat was on his brow, so you guided him to the bed and fed him ginger ale, placing the crackers on the night stand.

“No way I’m sleeping in here with you when you’re like this, Cal,” you half-teased, hoping he would be the one to dismiss you.

You sighed a breath of relief at his response.  “Yea, Y/N. Clear a path to the bathroom and get out of my face.”

As mean as he sounded, you were glad he wanted you out.  You gave him a light kiss on the forehead before walking as quickly as possible without raising suspicion out of your room.

* * *

12:08.  That’s what time you made it to the deck.  

Dean was leaning against the railing, looking out into the black night.  When your footsteps sounded on the deck behind him, he turned, and you lost yourself in the bright smile he gave you.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” he said softly as he took a few steps toward you.

Your body mirrored his, until you were standing just an arms length apart.  “Had to get away, you know.”

Dean stepped a half-step closer.  “I’m glad you came.”

You stepped a half-step closer, now able to feel the heat from his body at the closeness.  “Me too.”

It only took a small movement from the two of you for your lips to find each others, pressing tentatively together in the darkness of the night.


	6. Chapter 6

You were flying as Dean’s lips pressed against yours, his hand trailing its way up to cup your cheek tenderly.  There was nothing to the kiss other than the pressing of lips, but that was all that you needed.  It was the most incredible feeling you’d ever had, and you sighed against his skin.

After what seemed like years, you pulled away, Dean pressing his forehead against yours gently.  You laughed, suddenly aware of how ridiculous of a situation you were in.

You were just over 24 hours engaged, but had spent every happy hour since your engagement with another man, who you now couldn’t imagine being without.

What was happening to you?

“What’s happening here?” you voiced your thoughts, not moving away from Dean’s embrace.  You opened your eyes to see him gazing back at you, and he smiled softly.

“I’m not sure, but I want to explore it,” he answered, before taking a step away from you and moving to the railing.  “That being said…”

You moved next to Dean when he didn’t continue, hoping he would voice his thoughts.  “You’re engaged,” he finished, eyes cast downward in – sadness?

You nodded, a lump in your throat.  You looked at the ring on your finger, wanting nothing more than to throw it into the ocean below.  The two of you stood in silence, each lost in your thoughts.

After a few minutes passed, Dean sighed and turned to you.  “Tomorrow we dock in Ketchikan.  I have some business to attend to in town, but would very much enjoy your company, if you want to join me.”

You looked at him, seeing the sincerity on his face.  “I will do my best.”  It was all you could promise, as you had no idea if you would be able to get away from your mother or Cal.

Dean nodded, understanding your response.  “30 minutes after the boat docks in Ketchikan, I’ll wait at the visitor’s booth for you.  I understand if you can’t make it.”

You smiled at him, your hand moving to his.  Gently your hand squeezed, hopefully showing him that you wanted to be there.  With that silent goodbye, you made your way back to your room to sleep on the couch.

* * *

The next morning, you woke before the the boat docked, early.  You dressed for the day before checking on Cal.  He was still in bed, and you could smell the stench of sick in the rooms.  

“Cal?” you asked, not wanting to bother him but needing to know if it was alright for you to explore the town ( _with Dean_ , your mind added).

A low grunt came from the bedcovers, and you took a few steps toward him.  “Cal, the boat has docked in Ketchikan.  I was planning on going into town…”

“Just get the hell out of here, Y/N,” Cal’s voice said, “stop bothering me.”

Taking the dismissal happily, you left your rooms.  Your mother was in the hallway, closing her door at the same time you were.  

“Calden is ill,” you told her.  “He’s staying aboard, but I am heading into town.”

The two of you met halfway between your rooms.  “You should be staying to take care of him, Y/N,” your mother said disapprovingly.

You rolled your eyes, starting to walk toward the elevator.  You didn’t want to miss Dean.  “He doesn’t want me here,” you replied over your shoulder.  “Besides, wasn’t this trip meant to be a graduation present for  _me_?  I’m going to see the sights, meet the people.”

Your mother said something in response, but you were far enough down the hall to not hear her. Quickly, you made your way to the gangway, exiting the boat once you were sure you had all of your papers to get back on.

You practically ran once you were off, quickly locating the visitor’s booth and making a b-line toward it. When you stood outside of it, you looked around, pulling your light raincoat close to your body.  It was drizzling, and you wanted to find Dean quickly.

A moment passed, and you didn’t see him.  Were you too late?  You got your bearings and circled the small building once more, before huffing out a sigh. Slowly, you started walking toward the town center, hoping you would run into Dean later on.

You had taken maybe ten steps before you heard, “Y/N!”  Turning, you saw Dean running toward you, a smile on his face.  “Sorry I’m late, it took me longer to get off the boat than I expected.”  

You smiled back at him as he stopped right in front of you.  Dean leaned down to kiss your cheek briefly, before he turned and offered you his arm.  “Shall we?” You took his arm in response, and Dean began leading you through the streets of Ketchikan.

As you walked, Dean filled the silence with stories of the Alaskan people and how Ketchikan became a town (the first city in Alaska, actually), that they were known for their salmon and if you came at specific times of the year you could see thousands of them swimming down the streams in the area.  

You listened in wonder as Dean spat out fact after fact, loving how intelligent he was.  You hadn’t expected it from him, having thought that perhaps he was just a pretty face, but being with him in the town was proving otherwise.

Finally Dean pulled you inside of the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, a museum-esque building that you were sure was mostly for tourists.  He walked up to the desk, showing the worker an ID badge.

“Dean Winchester,” he said with authority.  “I called ahead about the new totems?”

The girl nodded, buzzing her walkie.  “Hey Jody, Winchester’s here,” she said, and a staticky 10-4 responded.  “She’ll be right out, you can wait over there,” the girl said to Dean, pointing to a bench on the side of the room.

You followed Dean to the bench, sitting next to him.  “So, what business do you have here…something about totems?” you asked him, completely and totally curious.

Dean smiled and turned toward you, digging through his bag.  “So, I’m a researcher.  I study indigenous peoples of Alaska, that’s what I majored in in college, got my masters in, ya know,” Dean explained as he handed you a large journal, notes and images messily sticking out of the sides.  You opened it as he continued.  “I’m working on my doctoral thesis right now, specifically on the totem poles in Alaska.  I’m probably going to end up with enough information to write a book, especially since I’ve teamed up with some other researchers and this project has kind of taken over my life for the past two years…”

Your eyes were skimming the pages of Dean’s journal, amazed at the information inside.  This was what you wanted to do with your life.  This is why you majored in anthropology: to understand peoples, how they live, why they do things, what legacies they leave.

Dean seemed to take your silence the wrong way.  “Listen,” he said after a minute.  “You don’t have to stay with me here, I totally understand if this is boring.  I just thought we could hang out…”

You brought your hand up to stop Dean from speaking, eyes still glued to his journal, trying to decipher his messy handwriting.  Finally you looked up at him.

“Remember how I told you this trip was for my graduation?” you asked him, and he nodded.  “I majored in anthropology.  This –“ you motioned toward his journal, then toward the rest of the center, “– all of this, it’s what  _I_  want to do with my life.”

As Dean registered what you just said, his face broke out into a beautiful smile.  “Seriously?” he asked, finding it difficult to believe you.

You looked back at his journal, turning another page.  “Seriously. This is amazing, Dean.”

You heard Dean sigh in relief next to you, but you were too engrossed in his journal to really notice. You were still reading when a 40-something woman came up to the bench, introducing herself to Dean as Jody, caretaker of the center.  They spoke for a few minutes before Dean pulled you from your reading and Jody took the two of you into the curating rooms in the back.

The three of you spent the next few hours analyzing a newly discovered group of totem poles, found about thirty miles into the Tongass National Forest from where you currently were.  They were in an abandoned village, and Dean had been in contact with Jody since they were discovered, wanting to use the new find in his thesis and book.

You fell into an easy rhythm with Dean, using the past year of field-research knowledge to take notes, sketch images, and add your own annotations into Dean’s journal.  You missed the elated looks that Dean gave you as you worked, but Jody noticed and commented to Dean how well the two of you worked together, how she was glad that he finally found a partner who could keep up with him.  Dean kept it to himself that you weren’t  _actually_  working with him, but the comment sparked an idea in his mind that he would have to return to later.

Finally, when Jody was spent and Dean had as much information as he could get, he led you out of the center.  He was packing his journal (now full of your loopy handwriting next to his scritch-scratch) into his bag as you spun happily in the parking lot, smiling and feeling as though you were queen of the world.

“ _That’s_  the kind of job I want, Dean!” you said happily, “You’re living my dream life!” Dean laughed as he stopped you from spinning and pulled you toward him.  Your smile lit up your entire face, and he could only think how beautiful you looked in that moment.  

Gently, he brought your lips to his for a chaste kiss, before he stepped away, grabbing your hand and pulling you along beside him.  “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Y/N.  I still can’t believe that we have so much in common.”

You couldn’t believe it either.  Was fate trying to tell you something?


	7. Chapter 7

After having the incredible surprise of your common career goals and interests and spending the entire morning having a more work-related bonding time, Dean decided to treat you to Alaska, since it was your first visit to the region.

First, he walked you along Creek Street, showing you Ketchikan’s red light district and amazing you with how all of the houses and shops were built on stilts, resting above the flowing water below.  You visited a couple salmon shops in town, buying some wrapped in paper bags to take back with you, frozen so they would stay good.  The rainy weather couldn’t keep either of your moods down as you walked through the town, hand in hand, enjoying yourselves thoroughly.

Dean took you to the New York Café for lunch, insisting on paying the bill.  You couldn’t help but feel as though you were on a real date, and the thought made your heart swell with happiness.

Mid afternoon, Dean walked you back down to the docks, and for a minute you were disappointed, thinking he was ending your day there.  When he took you to the right instead of the left, where the ship was, you were pleased.

Dean walked you to a hut on stilts, resting above the shoreline where it would be out of the way of the water, whether the tides were high or not.  He told you to wait outside as he went in to speak with someone, and you gazed at the world around you.  

Yes, there were the cruise ships along the shore, but there were also small fisherman boats and cute little houses.  The trees were enormous and beautiful, glistening from the wet weather.  The cloudy sky was bright grey-white, reflecting light onto everything.  Alaska was quickly becoming one of your favorite places.

Dean stepped outside after a few minutes, another man behind him.  “Y/N, this is Brady.  He’s taking us on an adventure.”

You smiled, unsure of what type of adventure Brady would be leading until you had followed the men around the hut, seeing a plane resting on the water behind it.  Brady was already climbing in, pressing knobs and pushing buttons, causing the plane to whir to life.

“Ready?” Dean asked you, holding his hand out for you to take.

You grinned.  “Ready.”

Dean made you sit in the co-pilot’s seat, insisting that it had a better view.  You couldn’t deny that statement – Brady took the plane through the fjords and up right next to some of the mountains.  Sometimes it felt as if you could reach out and touch the rough surface.

You flew for about thirty minutes, Dean’s voice in your ear explaining how the fjords were made, how people lived in and around them, and the types of animals found in the area. Eventually, Brady brought the plane down on a clear lake, coming down next to a dock obviously built for sight-seers such as yourselves to stop at.

The three of you climbed out and Brady went to check the plane as you smelled the clear Alaskan air, making everything in your body feel relaxed and pure.  With a smile on your face, you turned to Dean, who was standing a few paces away.

“This is amazing,” was the only thing you could say, before rushing over to him and jumping into his arms. You kissed Dean with every positive and happy feeling that you could muster, hoping that he would understand through the kiss how happy you were.  Dean wrapped one arm around your waist, holding you against him, as the other hand dug into your hair.  Your tongues battled for dominance, exploring each other’s mouths hungrily.  You could feel that Dean was putting as much into the kiss as you were, and the feelings that he was giving you dug deep in your stomach.  

Only when Brady coughed awkwardly did the two of you separate, slowly.  Dean’s arm around you didn’t let you go too far away from him, and you could see the mirth in his eyes when you snuck another peck in quickly.

“If we don’t get going soon, you lovebirds are gonna miss your boat,” Brady announced, bringing you and Dean back to earth.

Right.  The cruise.  The cruise that you were on with your mother and  _your fiancé_.  How could you forget.

Any and all happiness you were feeling a moment before was drained from your body and you made your way back to the plane, taking the back seat for the trip back to Ketchikan.  Dean looked over his shoulder at you a few times, trying to get your spirit back up, but you couldn’t even bring yourself to make eye contact with him.

How could you get so carried away?  How could you have even given in to being with Dean in Ketchikan today?  You knew that you felt something for him, and you should have squashed that feeling right from the beginning, or just stayed away. Being with Dean today would only hurt both of you in the long run.

It was silent during the return flight, and silent as you got off the plane back at the little hut on the shoreline.  You tipped Brady generously, even after he and Dean insisted the trip was already paid for.  You quietly began the walk back to the Solstice, hearing Dean run up behind you.

“Hey, Y/N,” he called, catching up with your long strides.  “Y/N, talk to me.”

You couldn’t stop walking. If you stopped, if you talked to Dean, you wouldn’t be able to control the emotions and words from gushing from your body.  Dean had seen you cry enough in the little time you had known him.

“Y/N,” Dean said more forcefully, his hand reaching out to your arm.

“Dean,” you said lowly, looking at him very briefly.  “Let’s just get back to the boat, before we’re late.”

Dean looked into your eyes, searching, before finally nodding.  “Okay, Y/N.”

You walked in silence along the docks, an uneasy and awkward silence, not comfortable like you had felt all other times with Dean.  Finally you made it to the ship, walking up the gangway and back into the lobby. When the two of you were in the warm, dry reception area, Dean stopped you again.  

“Y/N, I don’t know exactly what’s happening in your mind right now, but I just want to say something,” he started, taking a big breath.  You let him turn your body to face his, not sure if you wanted to hear what he was going to say, but curious all the same.

“The past couple days, since meeting you, have been some of the best in my life.  Getting to know you, hanging out with you, working with you today like we did – it has been incredible.”

You couldn’t help but notice that some other guests on the ship were eavesdropping around you, but your mind was so frazzled that you couldn’t respond or tell Dean to stop talking.

“To think that we would meet, have so much fun, have so much in common…I mean, god, it’s like you and I were meant to work together and be together based on how well we get along and how we want the same career… “  Dean paused again, eyes downcast.  

“And for all of this to happen the trip when you were  _told_  that you would be getting married, to someone you don’t love, it’s all just stupid.”

You looked down, the ring on your hand feeling just as stupid as the whole situation.

“I’m not saying that I want you to throw away your life and everything that has happened to you for me, because that would just be crazy.  But I do think that it’s crazy if you’re not happy, I think it’s crazy if you let yourself be swept up into a life that you don’t want, I think it’s crazy if we don’t give this a chance.  Give  _us_  a chance.”

You finally looked at Dean’s face, seeing the combination of stress and hopefulness on it.  You swallowed the large lump in your throat, trying to find a response.  A tear slipped from the corner of your eye, and Dean quickly brushed it away.

Luckily – or unluckily – for you, you didn’t have the chance to find a response.  A hand grabbed your arm and you were turned in place to see your mother, face furious having obviously heard Dean’s speech.  You gasped, feeling as though a bucket of ice had just been thrown at you.

“Y/N,” your mother practically growled.  “ _What_  is the meaning of this?”


	8. Chapter 8

“Y/N,” your mother practically growled.  “ _What_  is the meaning of this?”

You were frozen in place, your mother’s hand grasping your arm tightly, her long fingernails digging into your skin.  Your heart was beating a million miles a minute, both from hearing Dean’s speech and the fact that your mother had heard Dean’s speech.  

You felt as though your entire world was closing in on you, and all you could do was watch it implode.

A warm hand made its way to rest on your lower back, and you knew that Dean was behind you, giving you the only bit of support he knew how to at the moment.  He hadn’t met your mother, and you were sure that his world was rocked from this first encounter, which was obviously not the best of situations.

“Mother,” you choked out, finally moving to peel her hand from your arm.  She let go, shifting to cross her arms sternly as you rubbed the place she had been holding.

“Y/N,” she growled again, casting an evil eye over your shoulder at Dean before looking back at you. “Talk.”

You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath before straightening your back, making your posture perfect and confident.  The physical change helped you reign in your emotions and gave you the attitude you needed to speak with her.  You opened your eyes to meet your mother’s, hoping that the tears threatening to spill wouldn’t.

“Mother,” you started. “I need to talk to you about the engagement to Calden.”

Your mother shifted her stance from one foot to the other, waiting for you to continue.

You took a deep breath again, preparing yourself for the next words you spoke.  “I do not want to marry Calden.”

Your mother’s brow furrowed, in disappointment or shock you didn’t know.  Dean’s hand pressed against the small of your back slightly, a comforting presence, before he removed it completely.  You felt him take a step back, giving you and your mother a little bit of privacy, which you weren’t sure if you were happy about or not.

“And  _why_  would you not want to marry Calden?” your mother spat at you.  “He will give you a stable future.  You will be earning a respectable family’s name by becoming a Hockley.  You will never have to work a day in your life.  The two of you have been together for years now, there’s no reason for you to break up  _now_.”  Your mother tried to give you all of the positives of the relationship, all of which made you hate the idea even more.

“Mom, really?” you asked, tilting your head at her to try to see where she was coming from.  “I couldn’t care less about marrying into a family for their name.  I would hate my life if I didn’t work – I  _love_  researching and what I’ve been doing for the past year – that’s what I went to school for!  And Cal and I haven’t ever been  _together_ ,” you paused for a beat.  “Sure, we’ve dated, and we’ve dressed up for your fancy parties together, but I don’t even  _like_  him the majority of the time. He’s a great lay, but…”

Your mother gasped at your callousness, but you felt the need to show all your cards.  “Mom, I want to work.  I want to travel.  I want to meet someone and fall in love, have the opportunity to make my own decisions – not be  _told_  that I would be getting married.  I want to meet the right guy, have a cute proposal story, I want him to get down on one knee…” You couldn’t help that your eyes drifted to the side and caught sight of Dean, listening intently in support of your speech.  He cocked one side of his mouth in a small smile at what you were saying, and your mind swiftly went to a fantasy world where he was the one on one knee in front of you.

You turned back to your mother.  “If I marry Cal, I will be miserable for the rest of my life.  Would you really do that to me?”

Your mother looked like she had been hit by a train.  She uncrossed her arms, hands hanging limply by her sides.  You could see her mind whirring, taking in all of the things she had heard in the past five minutes, both from you and Dean.

Your right hand went to your left, twirling your gaudy engagement ring around your finger before you took it off.  You held it out to your mother.  

“This ring,” you said, “This horrible, ridiculously enormous and obnoxious ring…”  You huffed a quiet laugh.  “This is  _not_  me, and it will never be me. This is for some trophy wife who would be happy doting on a house and kids and going to the club and wearing fancy clothes.”  You put the ring in your mom’s hands.

“You know that has never been me.”

Holding the ring in her hand might have been what made the whole situation click with your mother, you couldn’t be sure.  She looked at it, in all of it’s high-carat glory, and nodded.

When she looked back up at you, you might have seen her eyes glisten with tears, but you couldn’t be sure. “Okay, Y/N,” she said quietly. “We can work this out, I’ll call your father.”

You smiled in relief, shocked that you were able to get through to her so quickly.  You looked to Dean who was also smiling.  Your mother looked to him as well, and Dean’s smile faltered somewhat.  

Swallowing deeply, Dean stepped toward the two of you.  He held out his hand to your mother, clearing his throat and saying, “Mrs. Y/L/N, I’m Dean Winchester.  I apologize for the awkward situation, but it truly is my pleasure to meet you.”

Your mother placed her hand in Dean’s, and to both of your surprise, he raised it to his lips in a very proper kiss.  “Pleasure, Dean,” she responded, before looking back at you.

“Dean is a researcher working on a book and dissertation on the indigenous peoples of Alaska,” you offered, hoping that your mother would be impressed.  “We spent the morning studying a new find of totems in the discovery center in town.”  All you got in response was an eyebrow raise before she spoke again.

“I will call your father now, then speak with Mrs. Hockley,” she said.  “Hopefully she will be agreeable.  Shall we plan to meet in one of the restaurants for dinner, maybe just the two of us?”

You nodded.  “Yes, mother.  I will see you then.”

She nodded once before turning, walking with dignity to the elevator bank and disappearing.  You watched her go, your shoulders slumping with relief and joy.

You were free.

Dean turned to you, one of his hands moving to your lower back again.  You turned to him, seeing that he was looking at you with a mixture of worry and awe.

“Y/N, you were wonderful,” he breathed, and you laughed.

You laughed your relief, your happiness, your hopefulness for the future.  Dean joined you, and it was with smiles and laughter that the two of you went to your deck on the eighth floor, passing the time on your lounge chair until dinner.

* * *

You met your mother in one of the less formal restaurants on the ship once it had set off from Ketchikan. You left Dean on your deck, promising him that you would find him once you had spoken to your mother.

“Well, Y/N,” your mother began, after you had sat silently for a few minutes and the waiter had taken your order.  “Your father and I spoke on the phone, and I told him everything that you said to me.”

You nodded, wondering how awkward that conversation had been.  It was awkward enough talking to your mom about your unhappiness with the situation, but your father was a whole different story.

“Sweetheart,” your mother covered your hand with her own.  “We would have never pushed you into this engagement if we knew that you wouldn’t want it.  I want you to know that.”

You nodded, tears threatening to spill.  You squeezed her hand in thanks, waiting for her to continue.

“Your father called Mr. Hockley, while I went to speak to Mrs. Hockley.  She wanted to go speak with Calden about the situation as well, so we went to your rooms.”  Your mother cleared her throat, taking a large sip of wine.

“Calden was there,” she wouldn’t meet your eyes.  “He had found, ah.   _Company._ ”

You couldn’t help it: you laughed out loud.  The image of your mothers finding Cal in bed with someone was too funny for you to stay quiet.  Your laughter seemed to shock your mother at first, but she blushed and let out a small chuckle as well.

The laughter seemed to break all the ice that had built up between the two of you over the years.

“It’s all taken care of, you are off the hook,” she finished, giving you a small smile.

You smiled back. “Thanks, mom.”

You cheersed your wine glasses, each taking a gulp.

“So…” your mother looked at you mischievously.  “That Dean Winchester from earlier… He’s a very handsome man, Y/N.”

“Mom!” you exclaimed, not wanting to talk to her about Dean, of all things.

“I’m just stating a fact…” she shrugged, before thankfully changing the subject to other things.


	9. Epilogue

You moved your things into your mom’s rooms on the ship that night, seeing as while all four parents in the situation were okay with breaking off the engagement, Cal seemed to be the only one with a problem (besides the fact that your moms had found him  _literally_  in bed with someone else…he had some serious issues).

For the first time in your life, you felt as if you could talk to your mom about anything.  Just the subtle change in calling her ‘mom’ instead of ‘mother’ was a huge difference, and it made your heart light.

The rest of the trip was wonderful: you spent quality time with your mom, went to shows on the ship and visited the port towns, not to mention spending as much time as possible with Dean, besides.

You couldn’t tell who was happier about the engagement being off: you or Dean.

The smile on his face when you met him on your deck after dinner with your mom, telling him that the engagement was officially off and you were free to do whatever you wanted – his smile could light up the world.  It was a picture-perfect moment when he picked you up and spun you around, a bubbly laugh escaping your throat.

It might have also been picture perfect because Cas had been sitting in an empty deck chair and snapped an image onto his phone, which was now the background of yours.

You, your mom, and Dean went to one of Cas’s glass blowing shows on the top deck of the boat, the audience ooo-ing and awe-ing when Cas pulled out the beautiful and now finished glass vase you had made.  Of course it wasn’t anywhere near as impressive as the glass octopus Cas created before your eyes as part of the show, but you were proud of it all the same.

It was your mom who treated you and Dean to a whale-watching excursion, insisting that the two of you get away and see the world.  Dean’s hand never let go of yours as the two of you snuggled together on that chopper – the whale watching tour guide pointing out whales for an hour.

You couldn’t believe how much your life changed just because you finally had the nerve to stick up for yourself to your mother.  It was amazing.

—

The last day of the cruise the boat docked in Victoria, and Dean joined you and your mom for a nice, early dinner.  The conversation between the three of you was pleasant and easy, and your heart was bursting for how well your mom and Dean got along.

Of course, it didn’t help the coy looks your mother was sending you when Dean wasn’t paying attention.

When dessert was being had, Dean raised his pint of beer in the air, proposing a toast.

“I’d just like to say how glad I am that I was able to be on this trip, or I wouldn’t have met you, Y/N,” Dean began, and you blushed at him.  “You’ve changed my life, and I’d like to think I’ve changed yours, for the better.”

You nodded, and your mom nudged you with her elbow.

“I’d like to propose something,” Dean continued, and your mom couldn’t help the sound of shock that left her mouth.  Dean’s eyes widened.  “Oh, no, no, no!  Not that!”

The three of you laughed, Dean’s choice of words kicking him in the mouth for a moment.  

“No, uh, not right now, at least.”  Dean looked at you with meaning behind his eyes, before he continued.

“I’m spending the next six months in Alaska, hopefully finishing my dissertation and book.  I’ve got a few friends working with me, mostly on their own stuff, but we like to collaborate…”  Dean swallowed.  “I was wondering if you’d like to join me, help me with my research, give me a new perspective on things.  We worked so well together in Ketchikan…”

Dean had to trail off because you had launched yourself at him, arms wrapping around his neck as you hugged him tightly.  His arms surrounded you as well, a huge smile on his face in response to your, “Yes! Yes!  Of course I’ll come work with you!”

You let go of Dean so that the three of you could cheers, “To the future!” and your mom clapped as Dean rested his hand on your cheek, kissing you softly.  You blushed at the PDA, but couldn’t help the loopy smile you gave him as he pulled back.

“Well,” your mom said, “I have a feeling your father will be starting a new investment in the next few days: Winchester Research Group!”

Dean’s shocked face made you laugh, and you kissed him on the cheek as he cheersed your mom again and took a huge sip of his beer.  

This was the beginning of something wonderful, and you couldn’t wait to see where your life would lead you.


End file.
